I have just purchased a new 03 corvette. I want to purchase a intake but i am having trouble deciding b/w the varaRam and the blackwing. Which one would yall pick?

 

Congrats on your new purchase. :cheers: There are currently 3-5 threads on this exact topic running right now, just scroll down in this section and the Z06 section. Also, type in Blackwing or Vararam in the search section and you will have enough reading to last you a week. :cheers:

 

Personally I would get the Blackwing. The VaraRam is pretty cool, but it takes alot to get installed, and the gains (from what I have seen) don't really justify the price and pain of install. My dad has the vararam and will be selling it soon to go back to stock. He doesn't think it was worth it.

 

Vara Ram is worth the cost, dont let other people tell you that its "not worth" the install. yeah it takes longer to install than the blackwing, but so what! So what if it takes you an extra hour or hour 1/2.

FWIW I had my vara ram installed on a lift by someone who had NEVER heard of what the hek a vara ram was and we finished in JUST over 1 hour.


look at the times in my sig. this is at approx +1400 DA. (NOT sea level)
this is my ONLY mod along with BFG's

 

:iagree:

$200 vs. $500, very little difference in hp gains

 

We've had a ton of happy customers with greatly improved track times with the VR. Results is what it's about.:)

The BW is a good intake for plug and play install and is better than stock in performance.

The COLD AIR(VR being one of them) kits will out perform the non cold air kits.:) Their manufacturers will tell you that, and have, in print on-line.:eek::)

BW = $200 shipped from us; VR = $399 shipped from us.


Here is a recent article on the V/R:
http://www.vararam.com/vr1b_article01.html

No pulling of the front bumper either.:)





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RG

We offer the BW and the Vararam as well as the Vortex intake systems.





[Modified by RG in Dallas, 7:31 AM 2/26/2003]

 

I had a similar delima - I went Blackwing though, we can get some serious driving rain from time to time - I had heard concerns about water getting taken into the system and decided it was not worth the worry. Blackwing was a REALLY simple install too

 

There are some people who will tell you, that you can install the intake in about hour. :bs The average install time is 2 1/2 - 3 hours. :eek:

Bottom line is, the Blackwing is half the cost, takes 10 minutes - 1/2 hour to install, and it's HP gains are so close to the VR, you probably wouldn't be able to tell unless you had a time slip.

Check this link, Blackwing is being voted 2-1 over the VR. Really, it's all about what you want to do with your money.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=498801

 

Install time depends on ones mechanical ability with things like that. That goes for all mods. Install time will vary. A lot of us spend hours on the forum each week and some mind and some don't mind extra time on a mod that will perform better. Some folks will not care, they just want something better than stock. Choices are out there.:)

As far as performance goes, yes, a time slip will show the VR and Vortex will outperform the BW as it is not a cold air kit. The same performance on the street, beating a non cold air equipped car, will be seen there as well.

As always, practice will improve your times and mph in the 1/4 mile, or longer, on the street and track. A cold air kit will give you an advanatge to start with.

RG

 

:iagree:

RG

 

I Would suggest VaraRam if you are going to do some serious engine mods, otherwise go with the Blackwing.

 

I've got a Vararam sat next to me on my desk right now fresh from those nice chaps at exit28. My reasoning was that:
1) the air outside the engine bay has got to be colder ie more dense than that inside (cold/dense is good)
2) forward movement of the car will create a slight pressure inside the air intake increasing flow (usually a few milli bar). This will not be seen on a dyno but will/may be felt by the driver.
3) every single high performace bike on the market these days uses a forward facing ram air system, like the vararam, and they are REALLY scraping the barrel for every last hp.
There may be others on the market, but when I found the vararam I stopped looking and bought one.
my $0.02

 

It's true, 2 out of 3 of our very knowledgable Vendors, say NO to Vararam!! Check it out. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=500474 :smash: :smash: :smash:

 

Just went with the black wing myself. like others I was worried about the rain issue. Either way you shouldn't go wrong though I have also seen worries about the vararam foam filter. Don't know anything about it but if you are thinking about it you should read up on it. :cool:

 

Forget both!!! Do This

 

The link about cleaning the Donaldson with K an N cleaner is here http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=488754
The red flag for me was the 2nd post where it says Donaldson says it is a bad idea....

 

Its me again with the new VariRoom. Read the comments in the thread Northernvette pointed out and it seems like its a price, quality, ram air trade off. Everyone seems to agree cold air is worth having - this is good, but the ram air issue is still under debate. Price/quality/looks are up to the individual.

So, ram air... There is no doubt that forward facing intakes can give you an increase in inlet manifold pressure, but will the Vararium do this for ya. Well, got the package home and pulled everything out of the box. Looks OK, joints not very well sealed, no gaskets, but not bad. Ideally you should be able to cover the inlet and the engine will stop (this is very hard to achieve). I'd bet my shirt the VariableArm will not do this so I'll be off to the hardware store for some draft excluder and duct tape when I fit it. Now then, will it have a ram air effect. Well, the only way to tell is to run Autotap, or something similar, with the stock air box and acquire some data, (of the top of my head) load, revs, throttle position, speed and inlet pressure (MAP), then fit the VroomVroom and do the same again. Drag both files into Excel, or the database of your choice and average out the MAP readings for various loads and speeds and see what you get.

I'll be fitting the Vavararravam in a coupla weeks so I'll try and get some numbers for everyone but don't hold your breath as it'll be a while.

PS. I wish they'd name it something sensible...

 

Andy,

Check this link:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=370975

RG

 

I picked up my last week and the vararam was installed on it. I drove home in a downpour and I had no issues at all with the vararam. When i got home there was a little water sitting in it where it is designed to catch any water that may get in. I had the blackwing before and like the Vararam much better but don't like the price too much :cheers:

 

Thanks RG! Intesting stuff in there. VeteTech talks a lot of sense and has the numbers to back it up. Looks like the Vararam is going to take me 20 hours to fit ~2hrs in the garage and 18 hours analysing data :) . Should be interesting though. Also, note that veteTech is comparing pressures to atmosheric pressure and the Blackwing... and he's sucking really hard too (465hp) I bet there would be even more of a difference between the Vararam and stock, as he says especially on an engine pumping less air.

I'm expecting at least 80hp man ;)

-Andy